Spain sets its sights on the European Championship with a first level test against Australia

MADRID, 24 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The women's senior team will play this Saturday (9:30 p.m.) against Australia at the Nuevo Colombino de Huelva in the first of the two friendly matches scheduled before the European Championship, a first level test for the team led by Jorge Vilda, against an Australian team without any of its figures but with many young people who know that their country organizes a World Cup in 2023.

Weighed down by casualties due to COVID-19 -Marta Cardona, Mapi León and Sheila García have not trained with the group this week-, the team will test all the work done during the concentration in Las Rozas, which began on the 12th of June, in a friendly in which many players could earn their place to be in the final list for this summer's big event, since the coach will give the squad for the EURO this Monday.

With no previous meetings between the two teams, Jorge Vilda will be able this Saturday to check the physical thermometer in the locker room and carry out tests to gradually put together his best bet to start the tournament on July 8 against Finland. Earlier, on July 1 against Italy, in the second and last friendly before the big tournament, there will also be an opportunity to examine the moment of the Spanish players against the two-time finalist of the highest European tournament.

With a record of more than two years without losing -18 wins and three draws since the defeat in March 2020 against the United States-, the Spanish team arrives with a lot of confidence and wanting to confirm that they can be contenders for the title in England. Among the recent good results in the Arnold Clark Cup stand out the victory (1-0) against Canada, Olympic champion, and the draws with England (0-0) and Germany (1-1), direct rivals in the EURO.

However, after not conceding a single goal since their last defeat until the start of 2022 and endorsing overwhelming goals against all their rivals -96 goals in favor, with 0-13 over Azerbaijan as the biggest result-, since start of the new year, of the five games played, all friendlies, he won two, scoring only five goals and conceding just two.

As for the eleven that will jump onto the pitch of the Nuevo Colombino, it will be marked by the coronavirus casualties of Mapi León, Marta Cardona and Sheila García, for which Ivana Andrés and Laia Aleixandri point to headlines in the center of the rear, with Leila Ouahabi and Olga Carmona fighting for a position on the left side and Ona Batlle in the right lane.

The team's engine room works with the Barça engine, thanks to a trivote made up of Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmatí and the Ballon d'Or Alexia Putellas, although there may be changes to test new schemes and formulas in an area of ​​the field where Spain is very dominant. In attack, with Jenni Hermoso out, Real Madrid player Esther González could be Vilda's '9', recovered from her latest injury, with Caldentey on one of the flanks and more innovative options like Paralluelo or Amaiur.

For its part, Australia will be the first test for Spain, although the Matildas arrive at the match in Huelva without their big stars. In response to the request of the Football Australia union, which asked to give rest to the players who have had a long season with their clubs, the call for the Oceania team presents significant absences, subtracting some competitiveness from the duel. Thus, Sam Kerr, the national team's all-time top scorer and the WSL's top scorer with Chelsea this season, will not be there.

Neither will Kyah Simon, Mary Fowler, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, among others, and Ellie Carpenter, who broke her crusader. The Matildas come from beating New Zealand in a double friendly (3-1 and 2-1) and have only lost two times in the last ten games, one of them against the United States (0-3), combined with which they managed to tie days after losing (1-1). They also beat Brazil (3-1) in October last year.

Vilda referred to these absences in the press conference prior to the match and recalled that the players who play the match will do so knowing that their country is hosting the next World Cup and, therefore, they will give everything to make merits to win their place .